Adjustable lamp-support.



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F; x. MAIER.

ADJUSTABLE LAMP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. I916.

INVENTQR.

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

nanen FRANK X. MAIliEl-t, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE LAMP-SUPPORT.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, int.

Application filedNoveniber 11, 1916. Serial No. 130,691.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK X. MAIER, a

1 citizen of the United States of America, and

resident of Sterling, Whiteside county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Adjustable Lamp-Supports, of'which the followin is a specification.

My invention relates to fixtures for adjustably supporting electric lamps or other devices, so that the lamp or other device can be moved about to suit the convenience of the user.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to'provide a novel and improved form of adjustable support for this purpose.

A special object is toprovide a novel construction and arrangement whereby a fixture of this character may be manufactured cheaply and in less expensive form than heretofore.

Another object is to provide an improved construction and arrangement whereby the fixture can be adjusted and held merely by friction in various positions. 7

It is also an object'to provide certain de tails and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efliciency and desirability of an adjustable support or fixture of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective of an adjustable electric lamp support embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion of said fixture.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View of an intermediate portion of the adjustable support of said fixture.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of one of thevparts of said fixture.

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a bracket plate A which in practice is secured by screws or other devices to the ceiling directly above the place where the electric lamp is to be used, and close to the socket or electric connection B, which latter may be of any suitable character. An inverted U-shaped member C, of stiff sheetmetal, is provided at its top with an elevation 0 which fits in the cavity a formed on the under side of said bracket plate, so that a bearing surface 1 is formed around said elevation. A central rivet D is inserted through the bracket and U-shaped member, whereby the latter is swiveled and adapted to turn about a vertical aXisf A block of wood E is interposed between the sides of said member (hand has its other sides embraced by the ears 2 of the socket F, which latter is also preferably made of stifi sheetmetal. The cars 2 have depressions 3 on their inner surfaces so that these ears bear against the wood block E only around their outer portions, each ear having a bearing portion which surrounds its depression 3, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The cars or cheeks A of the member G are formed in a similar manner. A horizontal pivot bolt G is inserted through the UQshaped member G and the block of wood E, so that the latter is free to tilt about a horizontal axis. A

similar horizontal bolt is inserted through the ears 2 and the wood block E, just below the bolt G, so that the socket F can swing about a horizontal axis while the wood block remains stationary When the socket F swings in the plane of the bolt H, then the block E tilts about the bolt G, in a manner that will be readily understood. In this way, the socket F is mounted to turn about the vertical axis provided by the pivot D, andito swing about the two horizontal and right-angle axes provided by the bolts G and H, whereby anything attached to said socket can be swungaround or turned in any direction. With the provision of the depressions 3, and the similar depressions in the member C, the tighteningof the bolts G and H will not concentrate the pressure immediately around these bolts, as would be the case if the ears 2 and A were fiat, which would tend to reduce the area of friction between the wood block and the sheet-metal ears or cheeks. A sheet-metal tube 1 is secured by rivets z in the socket F, this tube being provided at one side with a slot J which extends longitudinally thereof. A red K is fitted to slide up and down in the tube 1 and is provided with leather inserts Z and M which frictionally engage the inner surface of the tube. A metal plate or forms a back for the insert M and is engaged by the end of a screw N which is threaded in the rod K, so that tightening of this screw will cause the leather inserts to bear harder against the inner surface of the tube. A metal portion 0 is held in place by the screw N, being provided with prongs 0 for holding the electric cord P, which latter issuitably connected with the socket or electric connection B to feed the current to the lamp Q at the lower end of the fixture.- This lamp is preferably connected to the lower end of the rod K by a hinge q, whereby the lamps can be swung from one side to the other.

In practice, the person using the lamp takes hold of the lower end of the rod K and swings it over in the desired direction,'and at the same time turns the support about the swivel D, at the same time adjusting the lamp on the lower end of the support. The lamp can be swung around in any direction and can be turned about the vertical axis provided by the swivel D, and in addition can be adjusted by itself on the lower end of the support, The screw N slides up and down in the slot J, when the rod K is moved up and down, and the friction provided by the inserts Z and M is always sufiicient to hold the rod against further movement in the tube after it is once adjusted to the desired position. The friction between the wood block E and the cheeks 2 and 4c is always suflicient to maintain the support in any position into which it is swung, so far as the mere weight of the lamp is concerned. It will be understood, however, that the friction'of the parts at the upper end of the support, as well as the friction between the rod and the tube, is not so great but that the fixture can be easily adjusted in the desired manner. 7

From the foregoingyit will be seen that the telescoping arm formed by the tube I and the rod K can swing in two vertical planes which are disposed at right angles to each other, about the bolts G and H, and that by reason of the pivot D these planes can be rotated about an axis extending along the line of intersection between the two planes. Inthis way, the said arm can be turned around so that it will swing in any 7 direction.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a fixture for supporting electric .lamps or other devices, an extensible arm forming a support, said arm comprising a tube and a rod movable endwise in said tube, said rod having means for supporting the lamp or other device, said tube having a longitudinal slot, a screw inserted in said rod and movable back and forth in said slot, and friction means operated by the tightening of said screw to produce suiiicient friction between said rod and tube to hold said rod in any adjusted position thereof, said friction means comprising portions 1 of fiber inserted in the sides of said rod, one

of said fibrous portions being subject to the endwise thrust of said screw, whereby the pressure of said portions against the inner surface of the tube is regulated by the adjustment of said screw.

2. In a fixture for supporting electric lamps or other devices, an extensible arm forming a support, said arm comprising a tube and a rod movable endwise in said tube, said rod having means for supporting the lamp or other device, said tube having a longitudinal slot, a screw extending partially through said rod and movable back and forth therewith in said slot, friction means to support the upper end of said tube, so that said arm can be adjusted into different positions, and friction means carried in recesses on said rod and operated by the ti htening of said screw to produce suliicient friction between said rod and tube to hold said rod in any adjusted position thereof, so that the lamp or other device can be moved in any direction and frictionally retained in any position, an electric cord leading to said lamp or other device, and a guide pivotally held in place by said screw to support said cord.

3. An electric light fixture comprising an extensible arm forming a support, an electric lamp on the distal end of said arm, said arm comprising a swinging tube and a rod movable endwise in said tube, said rod having means for supporting the lamp, said tube having a longitudinal slot, a screw insorted in said rod and movable back and forth in said slot, friction means to support the upper end of said tube, so that said arm can be adjusted into diiferent positions, and friction means operated by the tightening of said screw to produce sufficient friction between said rod and tube to hold said rod in any adjusted position thereof, so that the lamp or other device can be moved in any dlrection and frictionally retained in any position.

nism to support the proximal end of said arm, whereby the other end of said arm is free to swing in any direction, and means to attach said mechanism to the wall or ceilmg, so that said mechanism is supported at a fixed he1ght, said mechamsm having 1nstrumentalities to provide two right-angle axes of adjustment, so that said arm can be swung in planes at right angles to each other, and means whereby said mechanism is 'swiveled and thereby movable about a fixed axis which extends at right angles to said axes, permitting rotation of said planes about an axis coincident with the line along which the two planes intersect each other, said instrumentalities including a block of fibrous material and sheet-metal cheeks embracing said block and bolts for clamping said cheeks against said block and forming said right-angle axes, two of said cheeks being integrally connected to engage said means of rotation, and said block having frictional engagement with said cheeks.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4, in which said means include a sheet metal plate adapted to be fastened to the ceiling, and a rivet to permanently connect said plate with said integrally connected cheeks and to form said fixed axis, the central portion of said plate being depressed to form a depending support for said rivet.

6. A structure as specified in claim 4, in which said axis of rotation is vertical, and in which means are provided for adjusting the lamp on said arm, so that by rotation of said mechanism about said vertlcal axis said lamp will extend in any direction, and with said axis disposed longitudinally and centrally of said arm and centrally of said mechanism when said arm is vertical.

7 The combination of (1) a bracket plate,

(2) a pivot on said plate, (3) a U-shaped member on said ivot, (4:) a compression member in said -shaped member, (5) a bolt extending through said members, (6) cheeks embracing said compression member, (7) a bolt extending through said cheeks and said compression member, (8) a tube supported by said cheeks, (9) a rod movable endwise in said tube, (10) means to prevent rotation of said rod in said tube, (11 friction means between said rod and sai tube, (12) a transverse pivot on the end of said rod, (13) a lamp on said pivot, (14) and a flexible electrical connection leading to said lamp and supported by said tube and rod.

Signed by me at Sterling Illinois this 30 day of October 1916.

FRANK X. MAIER.

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